The word “Alabama,” a Choctaw Indian word meaning “thicket clearers,” was given to a noted southern Indian tribe whose habitat was originally in central Alabama. The Alabama River was named for this Indian tribe and from the river, the name of the state was derived. Alabama became a state in 1817 and shortly after that Indian lands were opened to white settlement prompting a boom in population. All across the state, the population of communities such as Tuscaloosa, which thrived on the Black Warrior River, and Florence, the largest city of Muscle Shoals in the heart of Lauderdale County and its 100 miles of waterfront on the Tennessee River, grew in great numbers as white settlers poured in from the East.

The capital city of Montgomery, built on the banks of the Alabama River in central Alabama, was the fifth and final capital city of Alabama. It was once call “Goat Hill” for its use of pasturage. Today, it is a sprawling suburban city of approximately 200,000 people. The largest city in Alabama is Birmingham in the north central part of the state with almost 275,000 people, followed by Mobile with nearly 210,000 and Huntsville with more than 170,000. Alabama residents enjoy a warm and sunny climate year-round. Spring arrives in early March with slightly chillier weather approaching in late November. Prolonged spells of severely cold weather and snow are rare except in the mountain country of northern Alabama.

Alabama commerce is brisk and its economy strong thanks to growth in the business, education, agriculture, medicine and hospital services industries. Tourism is also thriving. Alabama’s Gulf Coast is a recreational paradise with 32 miles of white sand, beautiful waterways, outdoor sports, such as fishing, skiing and swimming, and endless options for relaxation.

The seven distinct communities of Eastern Shore also support a bustling tourist trade due to the quality of their recreational facilities, their close proximity to pristine waterways and a rich historical connection to their multi-cultural heritage. Blakeley, Bayside Daphne, Young Fairhope, Daphne, Montrose, Punta Clara and Spanish Fort are all resort destinations built near the water and they take advantage of its bounty.

Bayside Daphne started as a gathering point for fur traders from France, Spain, England and finally New America. The Blakeley River delta was the home of the Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creek Indians. Punta Clara is located between Mobile Bay waters on two sides and is strategically located between the northern delta and the southern passageway into the Gulf of Mexico. Each Eastern Shore community has a singularly individual draw for both tourists and residents alike. In fact, Young Fairhope is described as having a “Carmel, California-like personality” and is regularly named as one of the top ten most favorable retirement communities in the United States.

In Western Alabama, the modern city of Tuscaloosa, or “the Druid City” named after its many magnificent oak trees, is consistently listed in the top third of America’s most livable communities. In the midst of its burgeoning economy, Tuscaloosa has managed to keep an atmosphere of culture, tradition and antebellum beauty alive. For a change in geography, the Mountain Lakes region of North Alabama marks the southern foothills of the Appalachian Mountain Range, with rocky peaks boldly cut by the powerful waters of the Tennessee River.

Challenging recreational and sports activities abound throughout the state, as do cultural venues, such as theatre, dance, opera, visual arts, music, crafts, festivals, film and educational programs. Many famous people were born in Alabama. The most well-known are Rosa Parks, who with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., helped spark the civil rights movement for black Americans. Nat King Cole was born in Montgomery and Harper Lee of Monroeville won a Pulitzer Prize for her first and only book, To Kill A Mockingbird. Other famous Alabama natives were George C. Wallace, the music group Alabama and Heather Whitestone, who served as the first Miss American with a disability.